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JRamsden

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  1. JRamsden
    I'd started the process of weathering my track in the last entry. I prefer to do this before laying ballast to avoid spoiling the ballast itself and to avoid a uniform colour across the entire trackwork. I start with a good coating of Halfords grey primer, my go-to for any painting project now. In the past I have applied paint direct to the track but it never quite adheres right and looks ugly.
     

     
    Next up is a coat of Railmatch sleeper grime. I mask/cover any areas I wish to avoid getting paint on/in and wipe all paint from the rail heads immediately. A cotton bud dampened with white spirit usually does the job. Although this can have the unfortunate effect of leaving cotton behind as it snags on the gaps between rails courtesy of insulated joiners! 
     

     
    Lastly, I paint the rail sides to resemble rust. In the past I have used a Humbrol enamel which is a close approximation to a muted rust. However on reflection it wasn't the most accurate of colours. This time I opted for Phoenix Precision Paints' Rusty Rail paint. On the first attempt I unfortunately put it on too thick. The result was a glaring colour which looked too bright and like I had quite literally painted the track! It also took ages to dry and when it did it was gloss. What a disaster! Luckily I had only tried this on a small section, so I could respray with sleeper grime and start again.
     
    On my second attempt I gave the paint pot a much better shake/stir. This has always been recommended to me for any painting project, but I never really paid the advice much heed... until now. After a proper mixing the paint went on a charm, dried quickly and set in its proper matt form. Perfect! I was much more reserved with the paint, almost dry brushing this time. The result was a much more subtle colour that you almost have to look for. I'm pleased with the result.
     

     
    Although not ready to lay ballast, I started to consider what I would use when I did reach this stage. Ballast has been something I've never really been happy with; the size, the colour. It's just never looked quite as I expected it to. So I trawled forums for advice on ballast and found that there are as many options for ballast as there were frustrated modellers seeking a better way! The key appeared to be research of your chosen area/era. Addleford Green may be fictitious, but the line on which it is based was not, so that gave me a starting point.
     
    I found this most useful website: https://colourrail.co.uk and was able to purchase a few digital photos of considerable resolution for stations along the Hawkhurst branch - in colour! None of the books I have feature colour photography. Not only will these help me to get a feel for the general "mood" of the area for later into the project, they also showed me the kind of ballast I was looking at.
     
    I wanted something that was mostly brown/tan with some grey in it. I looked at the most recent ballasts to be released, hoping things had changed considerably since my last attempts. Hatton's own Constructor range and DCC Concepts Legacy ballast seemed like contenders. Hatton's ballast seemed too grey for my liking, the highland mix being closest to my needs but still too grey overall. Legacy's steam era ballast was much closer but ultimately seemed too dark and better for mainlines that see a lot of use - were I modelling Paddock Wood instead this may have been my choice. It's really very hard to tell for sure from photos but in the end I wasn't satisfied and decided to make my own mix, something that has always felt like a job reserved for "serious" modellers!
     
    I had some Woodland Scenics buff and brown in coarse which I had used for another project. I liked the colour of them when mixed so I bought a bag each of the fine variant and poured them together. I also had some leftover grey (possibly my first ever ballast, still going strong) and some black stuff - no idea of its origin! I grabbed a small jar and used an old teaspoon to mix a small amount together. I started with 3 spoons of buff/brown, 2 spoons of grey and 1 spoon of black, mixed and applied to a piece of test track.
     
     
     
    I was very pleased with the effect and surprised to have something so close to what I wanted so quickly. The only thing I'll change is the amount of grey, as I felt it overpowered the buff/brown mix by virtue of it's larger particles. Oddly I found the black was mostly lost in the mixture and actually gave a pleasingly subtle colour variation. My final mix will be three parts buff/brown, one part grey, one part black. Weathering of the ballast itself will be completed separately, after it is fixed to the track.
     
    I'm a long way off laying the ballast for now. I want to get the platform installed first and possibly some of the other railway infrastructure. On reflection I won't be using nearly as much ballast on this layout. In the past I have smothered every track in it. But this time I'm going to try for some more varied and realistic coverings; cinders/ash around the engine shed, tamped earth around the sidings and goods area etc. A lot of new techniques to try and learning curves to handle.
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
    Next blog: Installing the station platform. 
  2. JRamsden
    I recently received an order which had been a few weeks in the delivering. It contained Deluxe Materials' Ballast Magic, a dry glue for mixing with ballast. The idea being that it only needs a light misting with water for a good solid hold. Ballast clumping and shifting is, apparently, a thing of the past. I'd seen a favourable review in a modelling magazine and thought I'd give it a go.
     
    I laid the whole layout (not exactly large by any standards!) with ballast and sprayed as directed. Unfortunately, although I read the instructions on the bottle, I didn't watch the manufacturer's video and ended up mixing far too much at once. The official instructions advise mixing small amounts at a time. 24 hours later it had barely held and crumbled away at a light touch. I was not amused!
     
    Before writing the product off, I did what I should have done originally and laid some ballast using Ballast Magic on a small piece of test track. This time I used a 5 parts ballast to 1 part Ballast Magic instead of the 7:1 recommended on the bottle. I made sure to mix very thoroughly and made up only the tiny amount I needed. After 24 hours it had stuck better... in places, but still crumbled away in most everywhere else. I just don't see how this product could ever truly work, unless mixed 1:1 perhaps. I may try on some coal loads and see how that fares. Images below, for what it's worth...
     
     
     
    The only saving grace to all this was that the Ballast Magic had just enough hold to allow me to use the old diluted PVA method straight over what I had already put down, meaning I didn't have to take it up and start again. I sprayed first with diluted IPA - supposedly this has the same surface-tension reduction effect that "wet water" does. Then diluted PVA (something like 1:2, glue to water) was dribbled over the top using a pipette. Now THAT is how you get a rock solid hold! Some photos of the end result follow:
     
     
     

     
    In terms of the exact mix of ballast I used, I covered that in some detail a long while back! Click here for the entry that deals with all that.
     
    The moral of this story is likely one modellers the world over will have learned at some time or other. Ballasting is a boring, tedious job but it's just not worth cutting corners. I just feel sorry for those of you who have significantly sized layouts. My hat off to you! 
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  3. JRamsden

    Cattle dock - Part 2

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    The cattle dock build continues...
     
    A concrete 'apron' was created out of some mount card painted a concrete kind of colour. This was then simply stuck to the outside edge of the track, sloping slightly away to allow for drainage. Care was taken to ensure it didn't foul any wheels and that it sat just below rail height so the rail heads could still be cleaned. Constant testing with a spare wagon is essential.
     

     

     
    A buffer stop was made out of some coffee stirrers painted white and red, then weathered slightly with a dirty acrylic wash. The concreate apron was also weathered in the same way but the camera hasn't really picked it up.
     

     
    With all posts and rails added and secured, I took the final leap of faith and glued the whole assembly in place. A final piece of plastikard was cut to finish off the landing area of the dock. This will be painted and weathered in time, much of the area behind the buffer stop will likely be bushes and weeds.
     

     

     

     
    Water troughs were added. These came from the Langley Models range and just required painting. I added a thin layer of realistic water too. I may top this up in future; the poor animals haven't got a lot to drink!
     

     
    Finally, two SR cattle wagons were offered up and (thankfully) they still lined up perfectly with the gates, phew. Looks like it's good to go!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  4. JRamsden

    Ground cover in the yard

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    From my research it seems that a great deal of rural lines (perhaps some major ones too) would not have used proper ballast for sidings and smaller lines. Instead the substrate would be ash or just compacted earth, probably mixed with whatever was cheap and easily to hand. I really wanted to achieve this effect on Addleford Green and have been thinking about how I would do it for a long time.
     
    Images of Hawkhurst's yard show that a lot of the sidings, particularly around the goods shed, were surrounded (almost buried in some cases!) in compacted earth. I decided to start by covering the existing ballast with a thin layer of Das Clay. I love this stuff! It's so easy to work with and doesn't stick to everything quite as badly as plaster or filler.
     

     
    I started around the engine shed area, pushing small amounts of clay onto the board which had been treated with a thin layer of ordinary PVA. The aim was to just cover the sleepers and also to blend in the piece of card I had placed previously as the engine shed interior.
     
    Happy with how this looked, I moved onto the sidings and carried out the same process. Das Clay dries reasonably quickly but remains workable for some time too. I found it useful to wet pieces of the clay in a pot of water, making them much easier to smooth down with a finger. Having ballast already laid made the clay go much further as it only had to coat the top.
     
    In my infinite wisdom I decided that the surface of this "compacted" earth would have some texture. So I sprinkled on some sand with a mind to paint the whole thing once it had dried. This would be my undoing!
     

     

     
    I popped along to B&Q and selected a few match posts of emulsion paint which looked like close facsimiles of dull earth tones. I picked out some darker colours for the engine yard and some greys for the road. Then I gave the whole thing a coat of each of the colours, starting with the darkest for each.
     

     

     
    Doesn't look too bad, huh? Maybe a little dark on the earth colour, but that would soon be solved with another coat of a lighter brown dry brushed over the top.
     

     

     
    Good heavens! That didn't work quite as I had planned. There were several issues:
     
    1. The sand made dry brushing with emulsion paint quite difficult and didn't produce the effect I expected.
    2. The second brown wasn't just a lighter version of the first, it was a completely different shade entirely and the two didn't look natural together. The road had fared better but now looked almost white.
    3. The overall texture didn't look right at all, for the road or the sidings.
     
    Scenic modelling guru Chris Nevard once said (and probably more often than that!) that modellers often concern themselves too much with texture when it's actually colour that really aids the look of realism. This project proves that theory. In fact, every time I've aimed to add some kind of texture to anything, it's always looked massively wrong somehow.
     
    What to do now? I had two options:
    1. Apply more Das Clay to eradicate the texture.
    2. Apply some finely sieved earth powder over the top.
     
    As my poor points had already endured clay, glue and paint, I felt even more clay and paint could spell disaster. So I went with option 2. Treemendus earth powder, finely sieved and sprinkled over dilute PVA. Removal from the rail heads and areas where wheel flanges passed through was essential.
     
       
     
    It looks better when dry!
     

     
    I put some of the buildings in place to see what the overall effect would be and I was pleased enough. The texture was better, although I think this was a case of it not needing to be simulated at all. The earth powder gave a pleasing earth colour and there was some natural variation which I'd have struggled to achieve with paints.
     

     
    In my usual backwards fashion, I attempted a test piece of track after I had made my blunder! Half Das Clay and half earth powder, it showed that the Das Clay alone actually provided a nice enough looking random earth appearance and that the colour was in fact key. The colour I used has not shown up well on the photos below; it's a closer match than the pots I originally bought but much too pale. The earth powder received a coat of matt sealer which definitely affects the colour and makes it darker. I didn't repeat this step on the actual layout.
     
    Next time I want this effect I will likely use only Das Clay and be more careful to mix up a more convincing earth colour, as I feel this will go a long way to solving the issue. I suspect that once buildings, weeds and details are added, much of the effect will be hidden anyway!
     


     
    All for now,
    Jonathan  
     
     
  5. JRamsden

    Engine shed - Part 1

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    Hawkhurst originally featured a two-road engine shed but it was closed in 1931. After that, one of the lines was removed leaving one for access if required. I wanted to feature an engine shed on Addleford Green. My reasoning was that those in charge would not have repeated the same mistake twice and opted to build a single track version. I used the plans for the original two-read shed as a template for my own paired-down design.
     
    Once again, I must give huge thanks to the Wild Swan book regarding the Hawkhurst branch, which features some lovely plans for the engine shed - amongst other buildings - in the back. These were invaluable in designing my own version, otherwise I would have had very little to go on.
     
    As with most of my scratch build projects, I started by drawing up a scale plan and cutting the first pieces from embossed Slaters Plastikard. I started with the end walls. The front piece was double-sided with brick and padded out with a layer of foamboard to give a realistic thickness. The lintel and door frames are wooden coffee stirrers with doors purchased from Scale Model Scenery - the size of these doors largely dictated the size of the opening, but they were ultimately chosen for being very close to the original plans. The roundel at the top is a 3D printed piece from York Modelmaking. The clamp is shown trying to square up a slightly wonky opening!  
     

     
    The rear panel was built in a similar fashion, although it would feature recessed brick panels which required a little extra work. The window is a generic industrial window from my spares box, most likely Ratio or Wills in origin. Shown below are the two sides of the rear wall. 
     

     
    One wall was padded on the inside with some plastic strip. The strips which faced the outer edges were themselves faced with strips of embossed brick plastikard.
     

     
    This allowed me to form a recess in the brickwork and carry the appearance of bricks round the corners. Below shows the process!
     

     

     
    It's not perfect, but it looks good at a distance and when painted!
     

     
    Thin strips were layered up at the top and bottom of each panel to give the impression of stepped brickwork.
     

     
    The sides were measured, cut and assembled in a similar fashion. The windows on the sides are also from Scale Model Scenery - they do some great stuff!
     

     

     

     
    Soon enough, all pieces were ready. Care was also taken to ensure that the ends of each piece would fit well with each other and form a neat corner. A certain amount of overlap was required on the sides so that they fully covered the thick walls of the end panels.
     

     
    I always try to paint as much as possible before assembly, so the interior went first. I sprayed with a white primer and then used a thin black wash to give a grimy, used look. I had achieved a better result in the past but I was happy enough with this; the inside won't be massively visible. Glazing was added to the inside of the window frames at this stage as it will be much harder to align once the walls are assembled.
     

     
    Assembly time. Proses' magnetic corner clamps help no-end with ensuring everything sets square and tight.
     

     

     

     
    The outside of the whole model was primed with a white primer spray. When the paint had dried, the windows were masked off to avoid getting paint on the glazing. I later found that the windows were more likely to have been black. Another good reason to keep photos of the prototype to hand!
     

     

     
    The exterior was painted and some interior roof trusses were installed. I found these on eBay from a seller who was 3D printing them. There are other options on the market, but these ones almost perfectly fit the size and roof pitch of my model. I actually modified the initial plan slightly to allow for them to work. I had no idea what colour the trusses would be in real life but guessed they were likely black. I ultimately went with Halfords red primer because it looks very much like red oxide and I really enjoy the effect it gives. EDIT: I have since learned that the roof trusses are more likely to have been made from wood, so the exact colour is unknown to me. Is it possible they were painted white?
     
    I'm going to use the excuse that the trusses were primed when the shed was built but no one ever got round to painting them. Which is kind of the truth!
     

     
    Using some mount card I made a solid base for the engine shed. It was important that it sat just below the rail level so that the rails could still be cleaned. The piece in the centre also had to be away from the rail sides enough so that it didn't interfere with the wheel flanges.
     

     
    A few quick coats of paint and voila! Now to turn my attention to some of the surrounding scenery to help better blend this piece in.
     
    Part 2 coming soon...
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  6. JRamsden

    Cattle dock - Part 1

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    Originally, I had no real plans for the two sidings on the right side of Addleford Green. Eventually I settled on a creamery building for the rear siding, my interest mainly being in having a different form of traffic on the layout. I had a loose idea that the other siding would have a goods shed, likely based on those present on the real Hawkhurst branch. But in reality it would have meant two large structures (the other being the engine shed) close to the front of the board and I felt it would look a bit cramped.
     
    As with my decision for the creamery, I was eventually swung by the availability of some lovely rolling stock! I acquired a couple of beautiful SR cattle vans and decided they needed a cattle dock. I started by looking at the available space: a rather awkward spot at the front right-hand corner of the layout.
     
    The Hawkhurst branch didn't have a cattle dock at any of their stations (that I have seen or read about) so I had to take inspiration from other areas of the country. Pictorial examples of these seem to be very scarce online! After pouring over what I could get, I eventually settled on a design and drew up some plans, working out how it would all fit. Instead of the cattle dock being accessed from the ground level, I decided it would be approached from the right... off-screen, so to speak. The ground was raised to accommodate this.
     

     
    From my plans I started to build the actual structure out of plastikard. The steps were made from L shaped strip glued to a piece of plastikard set at a 45 degree angle, a method I have found quite effective in previous builds. The thick strip of plastic running around the edge would mimic a line of coping stones I spied on the prototype.
     

     
    A few test fits as I went along made sure that the structure would fit in the very specific space and shape available!
     

     
    Next up was to create the top surface. I used two different Slaters Plastikard sheets, one to create a paved edge and another that closely resembled the kind of square-textured concreate surface where cattle would stand. I assumed this was for better drainage and cleaning. Leaving a small gap between the two sheets created a simple drainage gully.
     

     
    Then I worked out where all the fence posts would go. This was done in conjunction with a couple of my cattle wagons, offering them up to the model and ensuring the gates lined up with the doors on the wagons. It was also important that both vans would line up perfectly with the pens when coupled together. Holes were drilled to accept posts. 
     

     
    Once I was happy that the main structure was ready to have its posts installed, I painted it.
     

     

     
    Drains were installed. I should have thought of this long before! I carefully hacked out small square portions of the surface and dropped small etched brass drain covers in. They may not be the correct type, but they were all I had to hand and I think they look passable from a distance. 
     

     
    I used Wills 419 Concrete Posts and Gates. This is a really useful pack containing many of the small details that are also included in their own cattle dock kit. I painted up the posts and gates using a white spray primer. I purchased some thin round strip plastic that I knew would fit through the holes in the posts and sprayed those matt black.
     
    Then assembly began. It was fiddly and took waaaay longer than I had anticipated! Some advice: make sure you have drilled through every post hole before you begin - it may be laborious but it's worth it! I'd also recommend threading your posts onto the cross poles BEFORE gluing the posts onto the actual model. I did mine the other way round and it was a bit of a headache. What was I thinking?!
     

     
    Getting these things to line up was tough. This is where pre-drilling the holes at a nice straight angle really helps. 
     

     
    Part two will show more of the completed structure, along with the concrete apron I installed on the track that serves this dock.
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  7. JRamsden

    Model railway figures

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    WARNING! Snob opinions incoming... I've lost count of the amount of images I have seen of stunning model railways which are marred by less than convincing model people. Every modeller has their own areas of interest; some enjoy scratch building, some prioritise complex electronic systems and some just want to get down to running trains, all pretence of "finishing" their layout out the window. This is fantastic because this kind of diversity in approach is what makes any hobby interesting. But I do find it odd that so many of us spend painstaking hours recreating certain details, only to abandon certain others. In this case, the people that populate our tiny worlds.
     
    Just twenty odd years ago you would have had very few options when it came to figures of real people. Before things like 3D printing were so prevalent we had to rely on crude plastic mouldings or white metal castings, all of which seemed to produce only the most vague suggestion of an actual person. But now, with the growing popularity and access to the aforementioned 3D printing, we have a greater selection of possibilities. I dragged out a few figures I had lying around for the sake of comparison:
     

     
    Above, from left to right, is: a Peco figure, a white metal casting from Langley Models and a chap from a bulk bag bought from eBay. The Peco figure is about as flat as you get before you'd have to consider it 2D and the bulk bag man is actually HO scale, making him smaller than the rest, the moulding itself isn't all that bad otherwise. In this instance, the white metal casting is actually passable; perhaps the baggy clothes and facial hair help to disguise an otherwise lumpy shape. That bizarre hole in the front would need some filling first though! Plus he has a handy peg for planting the figure on the layout.
     

     
    The two figures above are from Bachmann's own range. In general, this range features possibly the most passable figures I have seen, particularly the station staff set (left) meaning I would happily plant these as they come. This comes down to the fact that I doubt I could apply paint much better myself. The cleaning man on the right is notably more dubious and I might be inclined to keep him somewhere out of the way!
     
    Then I discovered ModelU figures. These are made from 3D scans of real people. As a result the proportions, pose and detail are much more realistic than the previous examples. Plus the company can easily manufacture in any scale by simply increasing the scale at which they are printed, the master scan providing all detail required for the jump in size. I have been buying these figures over time and decided it was finally time to start painting them up. Below is an account of my experimentations.
     
    As with any painting project, I tend to start with a coat of primer, usually grey or white Halfords primer. I did take photos of this stage but sadly they were lost during the gap between taking and writing. I'm sure you can imagine what a primed plastic figure looks like! I tend to prefer white primer for figures. Then I apply layers of paint to add detail. I prefer acrylic paints and usually rely on my stash of Humbrol paints, although I'm aware there are probably better options these days. I start by painting the harder to reach areas and end on smaller details, sometimes using a cocktail stick for fine detail like ties or buttons. Often I find that most areas painted will require touching up later anyway because I'm just too clumsy and can't hold a paintbrush straight!
     
    Below are my two test samples. The left image shows the figure with just paint. The right image shows what they look like after a wash of highly dilute dirty grey/black paint. The exact mix is always different and the results vary greatly. I always aim for the wash to appear translucent when applied to a piece of plastic; you don't want the pigments to be too overpowering as to just cover the colours already applied. The idea is that the wash seeps into the crevices of the figure, adding depth and further colour. I think the images below show how effective this can be:
     


     
    See on the first figure how the trousers now have definite shadow lines? The face of the bottom figure even has a suggestion of a nose and mouth; entirely random and unexpected but it gives at-a-glance details that you just wouldn't be able to replicate on purpose.
     
    Then I aim to dry brush a very light grey over the top. This highlights the surface areas and (I hope) acts as a nice contrast to the darker areas. It is easy to overdo this, as you will see!
     

     
    Fired up with new-found confidence, I started work on the remaining figures. I'll put a selection below and you can judge for yourself whether this method is effective on the whole or not. I will also say that the close-up camera reveals details and colours otherwise unseen by the naked eye; it has not been too kind to my work which looks passable at a distance!
     






     
    (I noticed, too late, on the figure above left, that I hadn't even finished painting his chest/shirt area!)
     






     
    As you can see, the wash has been a bit too overwhelming for some of the figures. A lot of them are going in a field to be hop pickers, so a certain amount of grubby-ness is to be expected. But the couple above look like they've been jumping in puddles and they're destined for the platform! Some touching up of certain colours may be necessary, or perhaps a slightly weaker wash next time.
     
    My favourite thing about these figures is the variety of poses, almost all of which are standing or sitting or kneeling; some are specifically designed to be in conversation or otherwise engaged in some other stationary endeavour. There are no running figures destined to be planted in place, comically stuck in a running pose but never going anywhere. Positioning is another key factor in utilising figures effectively and it's something I hope I can get right when I commit my figures to Addleford Green in due course.
     
    For now I'd really appreciate your thoughts and any tips you may have for painting figures!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  8. JRamsden

    Station garden

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    This weekend I turned my attention to adding some planted areas to my station, as per the prototype. Looking at images of Cranbrook station gave the most inspiration and it seemed to be among one of the most adorned locations on the line in terms of floral displays. Clearly someone took a lot of pride in keeping the station looking its best!
     
    The border is oversized ballast applied grain by grain with tweezers. It took about 30 seconds for me to hate myself for taking this approach... but I think the result is ultimately pleasing. This seems to have been the approach utilised by Cranbrook station itself, albeit in 1:1 scale! Photos show small rocks acting as a rudimentary border. The earth is a sprinkle of Treemendus earth powder - I'm an absolute convert to this stuff. 
     
    The rose trellis is made from very thin strips of styrene. The climbing rose is a combination of individual strands of rubberised horsehair, sprayed brown, and a scattering of Woodland Scenics' leaves. The roses themselves are large clumps of a pink scatter material I have had for absolute years. I think it was originally red as much of the pack has faded to white!  
     
    All other plants are a mixture of Woodland Scenics products, flocks and poly fibre and rubberised horse hair. The tall yellow flowers are florists wire with more leaves stuck to them, topped with some yellow scatter. There are a few self-adhesive tufts of grass in there too. I'm pleased with the amount of variety in foliage I have here but am interested in learning more techniques and ways of using different materials to simulate specific plants and flowers. This should be particularly useful when it comes to wild embankments.
     
    Anyway, enjoy some photos!
     







     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  9. JRamsden

    Addleford creamery - Part 4

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    The Christmas period has been useful for getting more done on the layout - particularly when you're in Tier 4 and really can't do much of anything else. I've made a start on various different elements but, as I so often tend to do, I've held back on mentioning any of them until significant progress has been made. Also, because I'm pretty rubbish at keeping up with any kind of running commitment such as a blog!
     
    I finally got to the stage where I can consider the Addleford Creamery building to be finished. I may add a few details here and there, plus there's the matter of installing the building and creating its immediate environs, but those parts will have to wait for now.
     
    So instead of dedicating a huge amount of descriptive text to this entry, I shall instead leave you with some images taken of the completed project. Hopefully I'll be able to share some more updates on the general progress of other areas soon. 
     

     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  10. JRamsden

    Fiddle yard adventures - Part 3

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    With the fiddle yard board constructed, I rolled up my sleeves and had a grand tidy and move around in the shed! Everything was put into it's new place and I made a simple removable stand for the fiddle yard to sit upon.
     

     
    Next up - creating the piece that would join the main layout to the fiddle yard. This would need to curve the track so that it met the fiddle yard at it's centre. I did some measuring, calculating, crude offering-up and plain guesswork to create a template on the computer. This template helped me to cut an angled piece of 9mm plywood to the right size and shape. It's roughly 16 inches long.
     

     
    Et voila! I was quite surprised that it fit reasonably well first time too. The 12mm plywood top, which has been removed from the right side of the image above, was cut to accommodate both the 9mm joining board and some control panels made from leftover acrylic.
     

     
    The layout isn't going to be moving anywhere unless in an emergency or if we decide to move home at some stage, but I still wanted every part to be removable if possible. I decided to turn to magnets again for the purpose of securing and aligning the joining board. To further help with alignment, I added two pieces of aluminium angle to brace against the sides of each board. I later added another running the length, like a spine, for further rigidity.
     

     
    I placed the joining board where it would eventually sit and drilled small holes where the magnets would be placed. This helped line everything up.
     

     
    On the underside of the joining board I drilled wider, shallow holes that would accommodate the magnets. Then I glued the magnets in place. I did the same on each board, corresponding with the holes drilled previously. When the joining board was then placed between each main board, the magnets held it quite firmly in place.
     
     

     
    With the boards aligned and in place, the track was ready to be secured. The middle line of the traverser tray was attached first, measuring to find the dead centre and aiming to keep it as straight as possible. A Peco tracksetta was invaluable in helping to line everything up. It's also a great guide to use when cutting track, ensuring a reasonably straight cut.
     

     
    The middle traverser track was used to get the small interface piece (below) as straight as possible. This all had to be done making sure the traverser tray was aligned according to the magnet system previously installed. Cutting track into small pieces can lead to loss of stability and structure, so I decided to solder the ends to strips of PCB. This was particularly useful on the joining board where I used curved track and needed to trim one of the ends. Placing the tracksetta between the two joined lines ensured perfect alignment.
     

     
    The remaining traverser lines were added and numbered (using Slater's Plastikard numbers) for reference.
     

     
    I always prefer to make electrical connections hard wired where possible for reliability. For the traverser lines, each line is hard wired to a rotary switch, meaning I only have to turn the dial to decide which line is powered. A switch also means I can isolate the entire tray if needed. Joins between boards have been achieved through use of barrel plugs. It's not exactly pretty, but it does the job!
     
      
     
    The next job is to complete the wiring. It is pretty much done as far as the traverser itself, I just need to get the tray wired up. This will all go to a plug which can be disconnected, meaning the tray can also be removed if needed. I'm very keen on keeping things accessible should they require future work. Mostly because I don't trust my soldering abilities!
     
    Below are a couple of shots of the whole thing, as far as I have reached. The SDJR Jinty was the sacrifice offered up as test train and the first to (successfully) navigate the new route!
     


     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  11. JRamsden

    Fiddle yard adventures - Part 2

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    I recently lost my enthusiasm with Addleford Green. I realised that I just wasn't all that interested in running trains on it. After some thought I realised this was due to the fiddle yard. The thought of using my clunky cassette design filled me with dread and would ultimately break the careful illusion that I was running a railway. What I really wanted was a traverser. But I just didn't have space.... did I?
     
    Long story short, I made space!
     
    Another issue had always been the point at which track left the main board - it's about an inch from the back edge. For a traverser it needed to be central, otherwise the traverser itself would be crazy wide to give enough range of movement for all tracks to align with the leading line. I worked out the smallest possible space (using no tighter than 2nd radius curves) needed to curve the track to a central position and decided an additional board of some 20 inches would do the trick. With all this in mind and available space measured, I decided to bite the bullet and create a full traverser board.
     
    I umm'd and ah'd over various designs. I liked the idea of using drawer runners for the sliding action as the ball bearings would make this nice and smooth. Initially I thought I would lay the runners flat on the bed of the board but ultimately opted for a side-mounted design instead, feeling this would be stronger. I came across an image of a traverser fiddle yard from May 2018's edition of Model Rail magazine. This looked just the business.
     
    I started with a single sheet of 9mm ply as the base, 18 inch wide by 35 inch long. Onto this were screwed two 36m x 22mm batons leaving a 9mm gap for a plywood fascia. Sorry for the mix of metric and imperial, I was raised on both!
     

     
    After this came some hefty chunks of wood. 36mm x 89mm, perhaps a bit on the large side but I'd been reading that you can't over-engineer these kinds of things.
     

     
    I cut a large hole in one using a jigsaw. This was to allow for electrics. Better done now than regretted later on! Perhaps a bit too large, but, hey!
     
     
     
    Then some more 9mm ply for front and rear fascias. The front would be removed and shaped later to allow for the sliding tray to be pulled out from the front.
     

     
    I selected drawer runners that were half the width of the board when closed. That meant that the tray would be at the full mercy of the ball bearings when fully extended. The other option was to use drawer runners which ran the entire width of the board, thus the moving arm would be supported at all times. However this would also lead to a large amount of protruding metalwork - not desirable. To compensate, I made sure to buy heavy duty runners which would hopefully negate any potential sag.
     

     

     
    Bracing beams were added to the bottom.
     

     
    A 12mm ply top was added at the far end. I went with 12mm because this would raise the 9mm sliding tray (30 inch by 9 1/2 inch) just clear of the frame at the far end, allowing it to overlap. The batons for the side of the sliding tray were attached to the inner part of the runner and offered up to the board. The top of the sliding tray was just rested on top so I could test for height and adjust accordingly before committing to a final fixing.
     
    Aligning the runners was not easy. The main, fixed part had to be attached perfectly straight. The moving arm also needed to be fixed to the tray perfectly straight. Then the vertical height needed to be considered so the tray top was level with the board top. Thankfully the runners have multiple fixing holes, including some that are slotted to allow for adjustment before final fixing. Constant testing was required and there was one point where I got a bit overexcited and didn't check my work, leading to the tray binding when pulled too far. It's not impossible to achieve, but it does take time, thought and care. I highly doubt a carpenter would approve my work, but it seems to do what I want!
     

     

     
    Sides were added to the top tray to provide stability and also act as a barrier for any falling stock. A central beam was added to the underside of the tray. This is what would accept the indexing system. Some cheap, plastic handles went on too.
     
       

     
    I initially wanted to use a ball catch as the indexing method but ultimately went with neodymium magnets. These ultra strong magnets (also known as rare earth magnets) have sticking power like I've never seen and can also be used to lift incredible weights. They would provide a very firm connection and were a tidy and precise solution. 
     
    I decided to place a line of magnets underneath the tray at intervals that would represent the mid-point of each track. There were to be five tracks in total. I had to make sure both central beams on the board aligned.
     
     
     
    Using a measured guide I printed from my computer, I was able to space the pilot holes for the magnets easily and accurately.
     

     
    The magnets come in a countersunk variety, perfect for screwing into woodwork. I selected screws for their head size; it was important they didn't peek above the level of the magnet and impair their connection to the interface magnet. It was also important to make sure the interface magnet (the main one on the board itself) was an opposite polarity to these five as it would need to be attracted countersunk side to countersunk side. Luckily they come in two pole variants! This is usually the kind of thing I only realise after purchase! 
     
    I could have used a metal washer as the main interface, since we are dealing with magnets after all. But alignment was key and magnet-to-magnet alignment is near perfect, whereas a magnet will grab at any part of metal they can find. 
     

     
    Another template on the top of the tray helped me to get an idea of where my track centres would be. Amazingly they lined up almost perfectly first try! I will lay the actual tracks later so I can be certain of correct alignment.
     

     
    The interface magnet was screwed to a spare piece of plywood which spanned several beams. This was so fixing screws could be placed well away from other magnets and not interfere with the indexing function. Several washers were used to gain the correct height. Rather pleasingly, the plywood had some flex to it, meaning it had the surprise benefit of being pulled slightly upwards in contact with the magnets, only to drop back down slightly when the magnets moved away.
     
    The exact washers and screw used here were really just to test the theory; I need to replace these with slightly more suitable variants.
     

     

     

     
    This resulted in a very definite and reliable indexing system. The tray required a bit of a pull to dislodged it from each magnet, but not enough that it would send stock flying... I hope! I haven't actually tested that theory! The handles also help to steady the transition, particularly when using both hands. It was also very good at finding a reliable centre each time, the template on top seeming to line up every time I tried it. I guess time will tell if this applies in the long run!
     
    Next job will be making some legs, making some more space and getting the board in place so I can design the joining board. Then it's on to electrics and track laying! Watch out for more soon(?)
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  12. JRamsden

    Addleford Green's new terrier

    By JRamsden,


    Addleford Green Blog
    I haven't done as much work to the layout as planned over the last couple of months. The creamery is pretty much complete and photos will follow the moment I finish painting a few figures to go with it.
     
    Until then, my interest has been side-tracked by the arrival of my new Rails/Dapol A1X Terrier in Southern lined green livery. What a stunner! I just though I would share some sub-par quality photos of her in place.
     
     

     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  13. JRamsden

    Running in board

    By JRamsden,

    When you start to look at running in boards you soon realise that they are as individual as the stations they adorn, even within the same region. It's quite fascinating when you start studying their various designs. This site has some useful pictures of various Southern running in boards and may be of some interest to anyone modelling the Southern areas: http://www.semgonline.com/infrastr/ribs_01.html
     
    Some aspects of the Hawkhurst branch differed from station to station, the platform construction being one. But many other elements were exactly the same across the board, including, by all appearances, the running in boards. This gave me less flexibility in terms of design as I wanted to be as true to the prototype as possible.
     
     
     
    They appear to have been constructed from a pair of metal beams attached to a central board, an enamelled sign was affixed therein. A simple bracket supported both elements either side. The rounded tops and bolt detail is simple but striking. Older photos seem to suggest the outer frame of the name board would have been painted paler, possibly white. I'm not certain when enamelled signage would have come into use. Most photos I can find that clearly show running in boards were taken in the 50's and after - I'd be interested to learn what might have been used before if anything.  
     

     
    The image above is the only one I have of this particularly curious setup on Goudhurst's second platform. The board looks to be identical to the others but the (enamelled?) sign is almost comically smaller! I suspect this was a spare that was placed here in lieu of something designed for the purpose. Or else the board itself is significantly bigger, it's hard to say for sure. 
     
    Many of the plastic kits and parts that feature running in boards are rather generic and I couldn't find anything that matched the design exactly. So I decided to build my own.
     
    I happened to have a sheet of rivets from Slater's Plastikard... yes, for the first time ever, my modelling takes me into literal "rivet counting" territory!
     

     
    I selected rivets that looked about the right size for the bolts featured on the posts. I cut two strips, one for each leg.
     

     
    I aimed to keep them the same width a some plastic strip I already had. Then came the tricky task of removing some of those pesky rivets as the spacing and amount wasn't right. I used the flat of a sharp craft knife and removed the remainder with some very fine sand paper. The result wasn't perfect and there were some scars from some dodgy blade wielding, but overall the effect was satisfactory to my eye.
     
    The strips were glued to plain strips of plastikard for strength and thickness. The tops were rounded off by cutting the corners and using a sanding stick to even out the shape. Then another piece of identical strip was bent and wrapped across the top as shown below. I tried heating the strip in boiling water to aid bending, but actually found that caused the plastic to break instead of being more flexible. I also found adding too much liquid cement caused the plastic to weaken and split too, so this part took some patience.
     

     
    I had a name board lying around from another kit - likely Peco/Wills/Ratio - which rather conveniently suited the size of the printed element I would be attaching later on. I backed this with another piece of Plastikard for the sake of width and stability and then glued between the posts. 
     
    Next, some small strips for the brackets underneath the name board. These were half the width of the strip used so far, bent and glued in place. I got a bit excited and sprayed with primer before attaching the brackets, hence the images below!
     
     
     
    I followed this up with a coat of primer (again!) and then, once dry, a coat of Phoenix Precision Paints Southern Middle Chrome Green. I'm quite pleased with the overall effect and the bolt head details on the side were well worth the (slightly) extra effort.
     
      
     
    Finally, a custom made name board courtesy of Sankey Scenics. Even the miss-matched greens at work here seem to be prototypical! 
     

     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  14. JRamsden
    Just a quick update to show that some further progress has been made:
     
    The engine/boiler house has been rebuilt. The water tower and roof access build has been started.  The main building and all sub-builds have been painted. The chimney has received it's "Express Dairy" lettering. Windows, doors and lintels have been added.  


     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  15. JRamsden
    When starting the diary build I decided not to include an interior. This was mostly because I had no idea how to model an accurate replica and also because it would be largely unseen and therefore pointless. But the huge window at the front just begged to have something behind it. I decided that multiple floors and a staircase would be a likely feature and easy enough to build. 
     
    I started by measuring available space and drawing some plans on Excel, with cells set to 4mm squares.
     

     
    This plan helped me to create the walls and plan where doors might go.
     
     
     
    Ultimately, once assembled, it's highly unlikely these doors will ever actually be seen - but I know they're there! Doors and walls were painted and assembled in place. I've recently developed an obsession with acrylic washes and may have gone a little overboard here. This staircase is going to look more akin to an abandoned building than one that sees regular daily use!
     

     
    Next, the central pillar around which the staircase will wind. I have decided to keep this as plan brick for contrast with the walls.
     
      
     
    Next up, floors! These were made from strips of thick plastic strip sandwiched between strips of plan plasticard. They've been primed here with the only primer paint I had access to at the time. Red oxide is not a good base colour for this kind of modelling - stick with grey, folks!
     
     
     
    Once painted, the floors were assembled to the rear wall.
     

     
    Then the central pillar was added and mid-floor landings were fixed to the front. The side walls helped to keep it all together while the glue set. Starting to look more like a staircase now.
     

     
    The stairs themselves were made from strips of plasticard topped with L shaped strip. When angled to 45° they create rather nice steps. A simple solution to a problem I was worried would take some specialist items to solve. Not so!
     
      
     
    Some priming, painting and washes later...
     

     
    Now everything could be assembled together.
     
     
     
    Finally, the whole module in place behind the window. I think this makes a nice focal point that isn't too intrusive or out of place. Hopefully the later inclusion of glazing should further subdue the overall effect and stop the building feeling completely empty.
     
     
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  16. JRamsden
    When I first planned Addleford Green I didn't really plan for a fiddle yard or any kind of out-of-view area. "I'll just figure that out later," I said to myself. I realise now how foolish that was. In future projects I would definitely consider the fiddle yard an essential part of the plan. Not being able to reliably have a train remove itself from the immediate viewing area really limits operational potential.
     
    A while ago I started looking at options for my fiddle yard. I had planned a very small off scene area which would be bordered by backscene panels (shown in red below) but this area is really only about 12 inches long maximum. As my vision for this layout became clearer I started making a list of what I really wanted vs. what was realistic to achieve. My layout resides in a garden shed, albeit a reasonably large one. I'm always aware of the fact that it may need moving and am wary of adding more permanent length to the board. Plus I have little space to actually store and operate even a small layout. My better half claims that some of the shed is hers too, apparently...
     

     
    I know that Addleford Green will only run small locos and small lengths of wagons/carriages; this is the kind of compromise you make peace with early on with such a small layout! The biggest train would be an H class and two pull-push carriages, measuring a total of 26 inches. That means that my tiny off-scene area is already 14 inches too small!
     
    Initially I tried a single track hinged panel which would hang off the end of the board when extended. This actually worked really well and supported itself better than I thought but ultimately I wasn't satisfied. I wanted removable cassettes on which I could store my assembled trains, simply swapping them when needed. That meant more of a permanent extension.
     
    I cut a piece of the board away so that cassettes could be slotted in and would match the current height of the rails. I tested the idea of using aluminium angle as runners to guide the cassettes.
     

     
    Initially, I prepared a kind of "interface" piece, which was a combination of track and aluminium angle. The idea was the cassette could be slid up to this point and I didn't have to worry too much about alignment. In the end, this was too fiddly and ultimately wasn't necessary; the aluminium angle guide rails would actually provide enough accuracy if laid properly.
     

     
    The cassettes themselves were assembled from a strip of plywood and two aluminium angles were screwed to each. The correct gauge was achieved by using a straight Tracksetta tool from Peco. The whole aluminium angle would have power fed through it and the wheels of the loco and wagons would sit quite nicely on the angle edges just like track. I've seen this idea used before so it's far from revolutionary or original on my part!
     


     
    Some more angle was used to create runners of the correct length. This inevitably extended beyond the board, but was light and strong enough to not really require extra support. Getting these in exactly the right place using the cassettes themselves was vital to achieve the correct alignment. Testing and more testing before securing!
     

     
    It worked! With some crocodile clips clamped either side, power applied to the loco made it move and also traverse the join. It's not particularly neat but it serves my purposes. Now I can make more cassettes as required.
     

     
    I had planned to make some sort of interface which would apply power automatically when the cassette was inserted. However the space available for any kind of extra contacts or wiring was very limited. I tried a few things but sadly nothing really worked. It doesn't look too crowded here, but take a look at the blog posts before this and you'll see the backscene and scenic elements of the layout really give me very little space.
     
    I'm convinced it's possible so I'll keep thinking. If I stumble upon a clever idea, I'll be sure to share!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  17. JRamsden
    The right-hand side of Addleford Green features a rather awkward corner where the backscene hides what is essentially a single track fiddle yard. Originally the plan was to use a low relief industrial building to extend beyond the backscene and essentially view block the garish square hole to nowhere. I also envisioned a tall industrial chimney which could be placed over the join between backscene boards. As I started to research possible industries I stumbled upon information about rail-served dairies. Some further research ignited a fascination for this subject. That coupled with the availability of so much RTR milk-based stock gave me a brilliant opportunity to run trains I wouldn't have thought of before.
     

     
    It appears there were two types of dairy facility. The creamery would accept milk direct from farms to process and send onward to a dairy. The true dairy would then bottle the milk and it would be dispatched to homes and commercial outlets from there. It wasn't uncommon to find a creamery in rural locations as they were close to the source of milk - farms. They sent milk by rail direct to places like London. For anyone interested in finding out more about milk by rail, I would recommend a forum search on this very website, plus a look at this very detailed resource: https://www.igg.org.uk/gansg/12-linind/milk.htm. Big thanks must also go to @Karhedron for being very patient and answering my unsolicited questions about milk by rail, something he knows a great deal about.
     
    It was quite common for branch lines to see passenger numbers decline around the 50s and 60s as road traffic became more popular. Branch lines often closed to the public first and ran as freight only for a short while longer. It seems that the diary industry was one that was instrumental in keeping many lines open for as long as they were. The line through Hemyock station in Devon, for example, remained open until 1975 purely to serve the creamery and their private siding. The real Hawkhurst branch closed in 1961, but Addleford Green proposes an extension sometime earlier. The subsequent joining with the (fictional) Addleford Creamery means the line could also conceivably have remained open until the 70s and that gives me the option to run diesel stock too. Everyone wins! 

    One of the facilities that really grabbed my attention was the old Dairy Crest creamery at Torrington: https://goo.gl/maps/bQKsWYCfkb34jTDH8 I fell in love with the art deco design of this building and knew I had to include it on Addleford Green somehow. I did some measuring, swearing, re-measuring and design on the computer. I settled on a reduced-size design which still maintained the overall look I wanted while fitting in the available space. Because the backscene was at right angles to the board but the track was another angle entirely, I ended up having to design the buildings with a diagonal cut through the back as shown below. This made assembly a little bit more interesting!
     

     
    I started with Torrington's iconic large window. I wanted to make sure I knew the exact size of the frame I had before I started cutting into the plastic. A good, accurate fit was essential here as it would be a focal point and draw the viewers eye. I started with a printed template and a highly technical frame made from masking tape, card and steel rules! Then I used strips of styrene to create the beams and bars. It's not an exact replica but I did copy a lot of the external decoration and am pretty pleased with the result.
     


     
     
    Next up were the main outer walls. Templates were printed to help with cutting. I use mainly Slaters embossed Plastikard. Windows came from the Peco building components pack LK-78: https://peco-uk.com/products/building-kit-1 It's a pack I use a lot for the handy doors and windows, but there's a single sprue in there that contains a set of modern doors and windows. Over time I had acquired 3 of these sprues which gave me a good selection of items I would have otherwise never used.
     
    Walls are almost always doubled up, with a layer of plain plastikard glued to the reverse for extra rigidity.
     

     
    Proses' magnetic corner clamps are amazing! Keeping this thing square was vital due to all the angles and the general size of it.
     

     
    Finally starting to take shape...
     

     
    The vertical bricks were from York Model Making: https://yorkmodelrail.com/shop/00-scale-ho-scale/industrial-and-construction/00-brickdetail-01-vertical-bricks-850mm-2/
     

     
    A good coat of Halfords grey primer really shows off what it could look like eventually. I always spray the inside with Halfords black matt too. This stops any inside areas from being visible when no interior is planned. Nothing ruins the illusion more than an obviously empty building! I'm really pushing it by having such a large window and no obvious interior! I am considering putting a suggestion of multiple floors and a staircase inside the window. I may make a mock-up and see how it looks. Also planned for the roof is a suggestion of access to the roof with a water tank as well.
     
    Also visible here is the tall chimney and the engine/boiler house. The latter I'm not happy with. It's style is completely different to the rest of the facility so I may make a new one with a matching flat roof. I was pleased to be able to integrate the bridge, another iconic Torrington feature, above the main reception. Some good shots of the prototype here: http://www.abandoned-britain.com/PP/torrington/1.htm 
     
    Say what you like about the urban explorers who risk life and limb inside dangerous old relics; I can't deny their photos are fascinating and I owe them a lot for giving me such great reference material!
     

     
    Next up, painting and detailing!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  18. JRamsden
    In relation to the Addleford Green project I owe an awful lot to the book The Hawkhurst Branch, written by Brian Hart and published by Wild Swan Publications. Not least for the incredibly detailed plans drawn to 3mm scale by Ken Garrett. This book is not only a fascinating look at a piece of long-lost railway history, but also a personal record of the author's connection to said line. It's also an unparalleled resource for modellers, the plans and photos contained within having made this whole project possible since so little of the actual line remains. My thanks go out to anyone who had the mind to document the Hawkhurst branch while it still existed. I'm sure it's final fate could never have entered their heads during the times of its heyday.
     
    So it is that I turn my attention to the station building. Rather typical of the station infrastructure designed and built by Holman Fred Stephens, this line's station buildings were cheaply constructed from corrugated iron and was very much a function over form kind of affair. Indeed, many of the lines Stephens built for were specifically designed to be cheaply built and run. I covered a lot of my scratch building techniques in the posts for the Stationmaster's house, so I won't get too detailed here.
     
    For such a simple structure the model has required more forethought than I initially expected. I decided to model a portion of the interior for this build. To make my life easier I try to take the path of least resistance; this basically means doing things in an order that rules out having to paint at awkward angles later on! To some, my process may seem a little barmy but it makes sense in my head at least! First I start with plan printed on regular paper. I up-scaled the ones in the book and simplified them for ease of cutting.
     

     
    I settled on using windows from Wills pack SS86. They aren't amazingly detailed but they were the right size and design. The window appertures above are big enough to accommodate the whole window over which I would create my own frame.
     

     
    I used Slater's embossed plasticard corrugated iron sheets. Care has to be taken to ensure these sheets are square before cutting individual elements. Due to the direction of the corrugations I had to cut two smaller pieces and join them at the middle which was a shame. I made sure the join was over the door so the amount of actual plastic joined was minimal. I then relied on a sheet on the reverse to strengthen the join, which would also form the interior wall. I used wooden slatted embossed plasticard here. Unfortunately I didn't double check the direction of the slats and got this wrong; they should be vertical! The rest of the walls were strengthened with plain black plasticard as the interior would not be modelled in those sections.
     


     
    There is little to no pictorial evidence of the interiors of any of the Hawkhurst branch's buildings, making the interior sections tricky to gauge. I took inspiration from the various surviving Southern-themed preserved railways. I'm lucky to have access to the Kent and East Sussex Railway, another designed by Colonel Stephens, whose station buildings are very similar.
     
    I solved the internal slat problem by adding another layer in the correct orientation over the top. This actually thickened the walls to a pleasing level and allowed me to add window frames inside and cap off the walls around the door frame, making the whole thing look much neater. 
     

     
    I started making interior walls. This would be the wall featuring the ticket window.
     

     
    Next I added the brick layer which the building sits upon. This was thickened by one extra layer of plasticard behind the brickwork.
     

     
    Just a quick test fit of pieces...
     

     
    I added some detail to the inside of the men's toilet. The urinals wouldn't be seen but the sides of two stalls would be visible. I made this sink out of an old piece of white metal casting and a drainpipe!  
     

     
    I made the slope of mortar above the brick courses from some Das Clay. I have a tendency to use too much for this and it can looks clumsy. I hope, after the painting is done, it won't look too bad!
     

     
    Everything is primed for painting...
     

     
    I made this simple template from card so I could create the 11 window frames required for the building. Each was constructed from thin strips of plasticard and a 2mm square rod for the windowsill. I made these separately as I wanted to paint them before adding to the model, something that made life much harder! This was a very fiddly job.
     

     
    All 11 window frames complete!
     

     
    I started on the cream colour for the main building. I chose to do this now so the window frames could be assembled while I could still hold the walls flat. I figured it'd be much harder to do a neat job once the building was assembled.
     

     
    The toilet is coming along nicely...
     

     
    While everything was drying I turned my attention to some interior details. I made this double-sided chimney breast from bits and pieces I had lying around. It will just be visible through windows and the open booking hall doors. I have no idea if this is how such a feature would look, but the floor plans suggest a fireplace here and the chimneys definitely confirm it. I could have made a neater join on the brickwork... amazing what you spot in close-up photography! Being an interior detail I'm not too fussy about small mess-ups like this.
     
     
     
    Lots of painting to do next...
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
     
  19. JRamsden
    So, the station building for Addleford Green is finally finished! I won't bore you with too much description but would be happy to elaborate if anyone is interested. I hope the photos will say most of what needs to be said...
     
    Windows... now these were the bane of this whole project. The windows I settled for came from https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk as they were the closest match in terms of size and style. I painted each frame white and assembled them with a layer of acetate between the two halves. After that I created some frames out of styrene strip. These were assembled and painted away from the windows. When assembled they looked quite effective and produced the kind of slim frame I was looking for, even if the ultimate surface detail from the prototype was lost. The portal cut in the walls to accept them had to be done accurately to give a good finish - I learned this the hard way! The lower sill would be stuck on after the windows were mounted in the walls. This method made sure the windows would look good when viewed from inside or outside the building. As I planned a small interior, this was important.
     
     

     
    New walls were cut, painted and the windows fixed. Once (finally) happy with the result, I allowed myself to assemble the walls! Proses corner clamps are a must-have for this kind of work: https://proses.com/prestashop/tools-for-modelers/74-45-degree-snap-glue-set-square-8680979260678.html Interior walls were already assembled and left over from previous versions. I painted up the dividing wall which featured a fireplace. The clocks are from 3D Printing Corner: https://3dprintingcorner.co.uk/product/1-76-circular-wall-clock-2/
     
     
     
    Lighting was also included. I have opted to use the Woodland Scenics "Just-Plug" system. Pricey but very easy to install if you're an idiot like me with electrics! The canopy and roof were added, with recessed plastic pieces to square the building up and give the "real" roof something to adhere to. I had very little reference for the top of the gentlemen's toilet block. I understand many of these were built open-roofed, with rainwater used for flushing, but I opted to put a roof on top and simulate a tank and some pipes. No idea if it would work in reality! The pipes are florist's wire bent and painted.
     
     
     
    I made a small postbox for the rear of the toilet block. The actual post box is from the Langley Models range: http://www.langley-models.co.uk/, the rest is made from plastic embossed card from Slaters: https://slatersplastikard.com/. The chimneys were made from embossed plastic card again, with the beautiful pots sourced, again, from Langley. The mortar on top is a smidge of Das clay shaped around the pot. I find it gives a nice texture when dry. The roof is Wills corrugated sheets. These are clear and much thinner than the usual sheets from Wills, including fine rivet detail which makes them very convincing for roof panels of this sort.
     
       
     
    The canopy supports were made from strips of square styrene strip. I started with a printed template stuck to the workbench. I used metal rules to give myself an accurate frame to keep everything square. Fiddly, but definitely worth it. Plus none of it ever fell apart or got knocked by clumsy hands! That's really saying something.
     
     
     
    The canopy support section was painted and assembled on the model. Here I opted to scrape away a lot of paint from the underside of the canopy to assist with maximum adhesion. I felt this was really important for such a structurally vulnerable element. A quick paint afterwards made sure none of that process was visible. You can also see some of the interior detail in the image below.
     

     
    Some early photos before completion below. I made a mistake with the roof at one corner and there was a hideous gap which I couldn't resolve in a convincing way. So I opted to cover it with a tarp (grease-proof paper scrunched up and painted blue) and will eventually set a scene of workmen in the process of repairing a section of roof! Another job was to attach period-specific posters which came from the Sankey Scenics range: https://www.sankeyscenics.co.uk/ 
     
    Then I masked all the windows and gave an overall coat of PlastiKote clear matt sealer. The posters underwent this process with honours! This process brings all the colours down a notch and kind of equalises all the disparate tints and finishes which are inevitable given the amount of different paints and materials used. I use it all the time now.
     
     
     
    Some final shots below. The buildings are now all glued in place on the station. The canopy supports were sunk into holes in the platform surface and glued in place. This has resulted in a pleasingly firm join which I hope won't break if I knock them! I have yet to add some white plinths to the bottom of the canopy supports and I also forgot to add doors to the booking hall. But both can be easily added later on. I'm eager to start a new project now!
     
      
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     
  20. JRamsden
    So for the sake of posterity we are currently in the midst of a global pandemic. the COVID-19 lockdown means I have been working from home for some weeks, until this week when I have been furloughed for at least the next 3 weeks. Less travelling and less opportunity to leave the house has increased opportunity to model. However I'm pretty bad at keeping a regular record of anything I do, hence the recent inactivity! So here are a few things I have achieved recently, lumped together for ease and so I can catch up. The next big blog will likely be the final stages of my completed station building, version 3!
     

     
    I finalised the shaping of the farm and station areas using layers of card and Das Clay. Not exactly the cheapest way of doing things, but I like the ease with which Das Clay can be shaped and sanded, along with how quickly it dries. The road has been coloured using acrylic paints and the surrounding land painted in a variety of coffee coloured match pots from B&Q. The photo makes them look almost white, in reality they are a pale brown.
     

     
    I was finally able to complete the surface of the station platform and secure it in place. This caused me some trouble as I wasn't happy with the original result. What a surprise! It's made from a single piece of mountboard cut to size. Originally I textured the surface with fine sand painted grey, but I wasn't happy with the texture. Then I decided to abandon the texture and concentrate on colour instead.
     
    Not having an airbrush I opted to use a mixture of acrylic paints and Halford spray cans. Several things may have contributed to what happened next... it was a hot day so I left the piece outside to dry quickly in the sun. The paint cans were nearing the end of their life and didn't spray evenly. I didn't wait very long between coats. What this resulted in was the paint bubbling and curdling! Oddly enough, when it dried it actually gave a really nice texture. It was probably still too over scale, but I really liked it all the same and didn't want to start again!
     
    Gluing the whole thing down was another adventure! Just be sure to put weights on EVERY part, not just the bits you think won't stick - that's my advice. The next day half the card was stuck, half had lifted right off the board resulting in a wavy concertina effect. Luckily it was easy enough to apply more glue and stick down the parts that hadn't held. Thankfully no signs remain of this mistake!
     
    The curb stones are individually cut lengths of styrene strip painted grey and glued in place with a tiny gap between each for effect.
     

     
    I remade the bufferstop to be more in line with the one found at Hawkhurst, including a coffee stirrer for the sleeper and the white and red paint finish. Plus I correctly assembled the kit this time. It only comes in three parts and I still got it wrong!
     

     
    I love this little Wills lamp hut kit. It has been knocking around my kit draw for some time and exactly matches the one at Hawkhurst station. It had to go in! Although I opted for a pristine look to all other railway structures, I couldn't resist giving this one more of a neglected look.
     

     
    I always leave guttering until the last possible minute. Often buildings are complete but for their guttering for months at a time. I simply hate doing this fiddly job! But after discovering that florist's wire can actually be bent very easily and makes convincing scale drain pipes, I just had to go back and fix some of the clunky and chunky plastic pieces I had glued to the stationmaster's house.
     
    The lack of fixings may bother some, but the finer scale looks better to my eye and that's as small as I'm going! Using an all over coat of matt sealant spray also hides those nasty glue marks and really makes the whole model pop. Definitely two new standards I'm taking forward.
     

     
    The signal box is now complete and permanently attached to the layout. The signalman takes a break as he waits for departure time... and some signals to operate!
     

     
    A sneak peek of my almost-complete station building. Also in view is the compromise I had to introduce to cover up a terrible building error. A tarp can hide a multitude of sins!
     

     
    I'll end on a shot of the whole station with all buildings placed. It's really starting to take shape. I just need to finish the canopy supports and it can all be secured for good.
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  21. JRamsden

    Station building woes

    By JRamsden,

    You may remember that I started to document my scratch build of the Hawkhurst station building in this blog entry. You may also be aware that I never actually completed both the blog posts and the actual building. I thought I'd explain what happened before the final version is completed... hopefully!
     
    Despite the prototype having a devilishly simple and cost-effective design, the model version proved to be anything of the sort! I've never been interested in pinpoint accuracy, but believe that I should try and get things as close to real life so long as doing so requires only reasonable effort. Being typical of the sort of railway infrastructure favoured by Colonel Holman Fred Stephens, the building consists of a brick base, corrugated iron clad walls over a brick (or presumably) wooden structure. The roof itself would have also been corrugated iron.
     

     
    What strikes me as most prominent are the windows. I figured the cream/green Southern colour scheme, combined with the corrugated panelling and large sash windows would get across the overall flavour of this building. Luckily, the book The Hawkhurst Branch by Brian Hart, published by Wild Swan Publications, features 3mm plans of this building and others. These can easily be scaled up to 4mm and make this build much easier. I also found that the Wills SS86 pack of windows features elements which are almost perfect in size.
     
    Attempt 1
    The walls of my building were two-sided; corrugated plasticard on one side, plain plasticard on the other. Some areas would also have an interior so I opted for wood panelling inside the booking hall and waiting rooms. I cut apertures in the wall to accept the Wills windows. As these were designed to be attached to the back of a wall they have a very large surface area. The idea then was to create a frame out of plastic strips, paint separately and glue over the top. Sound theory, but not so good in practice...
     

     
    Not only are the outer frames too thick, the window frames inside them are too thick too. Plus, in this image, the window and door frames collide in an error that would never have passed planning stages! You may also note that the door didn't even need an extra frame as the moulding already has one! What a disaster. 
     

     
    The interior is also very clumsy with even more over-thick frames. I also added some Das Clay to the brick foundation to act as a mortar line. I added far too much and decided once it was painted that it was no good. PLUS I painted the window frames with a white enamel using a brush. It didn't set at all like I wanted and looks awful! OK, start again!
     
    Attempt 2
    I decided to change my approach to the build. Instead of putting a frame over the windows, I would actually build a frame around the window, just as it would be in real life. This was achieved using much thinner but deeper plastic strip. I cut the same Wills windows down and built frames around them. This looked much better and resulted in much finer frames. Unfortunately I also got a little over-confident and my cutting suffered as a result. It was around the same time I had discovered Deluxe Materials' Perfect Plastic Putty and I was under the illusion that there was no mistake that it couldn't solve. This attitude was hazardous.
     

     
    These are actually two of the better windows, but most of them were cut down using the NorthWest Short Line Chopper II, In ideal piece of kit for any scratch builder... until you realise it's not great at cutting straight lines! Maybe it's just my particular version. All windows ended up slightly skewed, not something you'd really notice until all assembled in a line. You can also see quite clearly the amount of filler required around the windows. I also needed to add a strip of plastic to the underside of this wall as I had cut my original sheets poorly and it didn't sit level!
     
    Another issue was the fact that I tried to paint the elements all together rather than individually. My personal rule is usually to paint elements of different colours separately and then assemble. You just can't beat the finish that method provides. Even with lots of masking tape I just couldn't get the crisp lines I wanted, particularly with so much filler working against me too - it tended to lift right out when the masking tape was removed!
     

     
    The interior looks much better on the second version and is possibly the only part I was actually happy with!
     

     
    This side by side comparison shows the stark difference between the two versions. I just knew I could do better. Luckily I was still at the stage where the exterior walls and some interior was assembled and OK to go. I literally only needed to re-make two walls... again! When I started on this layout I wanted buildings that would look good even in close-up photography. I can't say either of these builds would pass.
     
    I have a new process for my third version. It's a mixture of both methods with a big dose of "don't bloody rush" added in! I hope to share some photos of that build once it is completed and I'm finally happy! There's a lesson to be learned here... somewhere.
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  22. JRamsden

    Backscenes

    By JRamsden,

    A quick post to say I have just taken delivery of these beautiful panels for Addleford Green's backscene.
     

     
    They are 3mm Foamex with the images printed on the surface and treated with a matt protective layer. I bought them online from one of many suppliers of this kind of material. I ordered them Monday and they arrived this morning, Thursday! The process was uncomplicated, completed entirely online and they even contacted me when they thought some white would show at the edges. Probably cheaper overall than having images printed separately and less stress than gluing them nice and straight to something myself!
     
    The photos feature the Kent landscape not far from my house, taken with a reasonably expensive (10 years ago!) non-SLR camera and stitched together on the computer. Hopefully I made the right measurements and they line up nicely once on the board. I'll post some more photos once they're up. There will be some square joins - something of a divisive subject, indeed all areas of backscenes seem to draw some controversy from what I have seen! - but the board is only small and to include curves was to lose just too much vital space. All joins are going to be disguised with tactically placed scenery.
     
    Some image manipulation was required to the photos I originally took before sending for printing. Most of the scenes didn't include enough sky so I had to extend that area. My digital photo editing skills are zero, so everything done was crude and would likely make a true photographer cry. For two panels this involved removing the sky entirely and replacing it with a block of closely colour-matched blue/grey. I thought this might look odd, but apparently that's exactly how the real sky looks round here. For the biggest panel I simply mimicked the sky that existed and flipped a copy of it upwards, like a mirror. Again I thought this might look odd but it's blended in quite nicely. Judge for yourselves!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
     

  23. JRamsden

    Backscenes assembled

    By JRamsden,

    Another quick post to show my backscenes assembled on the layout. There's still some work to do, not to mention the eventual effect that will (hopefully) be created by some view-blocking buildings and scenery. The corners are held together with plastic L-shaped strip glued around the edges. I may use Velcro strips for those I want to keep removable.
     
    I've had to cut some panels as I purposely overestimated when purchasing the panels. Luckily they're incredibly easy to cut. I'm pleased with the effect so far and I hope my experiments may inspire other modellers too.
     

     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  24. JRamsden
    Just a quick post to show the result of a couple of days of painting. Hope I did them justice! Can't wait to get them 'planted' and actually have something scenic on the layout.
     




     
    The oast still needs its steps assembling and glazing fitting, but that may not happen before Christmas.
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
  25. JRamsden

    Half-relief Kentish oast

    By JRamsden,

    I haven't had as much time to dedicate to modelling lately. The colder weather has made spending time in the shed even less desirable too! However I have been making slow progress on my farm buildings.
     
    The latest project is the half-relief oast house. Despite square kilns actually being older, there are far more round kilns dotted around Kent and Sussex and I prefer the look of them. I must see dozens of different examples every day in my travels. They are a firm fixture of this area and their design is nothing short of iconic. Of course I needed one on Addleford Green! I'm not a fan of pre-made resin buildings (not for a quality reason, simply because I enjoy building my own) but Hornby's own Scaledale version of an Oast is particularly garish! I'd be curious to know how much research they actually did for their model because it has a distinctly European look about it, rather than anything I've ever seen. See below:
     

     
    For anyone looking to build their own oast, I'd highly recommend this website: http://oastandhopkilnhistory.com/ which is chock full of great information and reference.
     
    It didn't take long before it was clear that making only half of a round building would be harder than it sounds! This one was tricky and took a lot of trial and error, not to mention plenty of glue and clamping! Deluxe Materials Roket Card Glue was a godsend here, bonding card and plastic very quickly and very firmly.
     

     
    The cowl was the hardest part. I must have been through 7-8 versions before the final. It was all down to the angle. I couldn't get it just right. It's one thing to design a flat template using measurements, but it just didn't behave the same way when curled to shape! I wish I could describe what I did to achieve this, but ultimately it, once again, comes down to trial and error. It's mostly constructed from plastic strip/rod with a layered card exterior. The interior was built pretty much as an actual cowl would have been because the interior would possibly be seen so there was even less room to hide.
     
    Painted version coming soon, hopefully!
     
    All for now,
    Jonathan
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